On This Day

When I was a child I remember my mother telling me her memories of where she was when she heard the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. She remembered exactly where she was in her family’s yard, she remembered the message coming over the radio. When she talked about it there was a hushed reverence in her voice for all that was lost that day – the people, the resources, the hope. There was a hush in her voice as she remembered how her life and the life of all Americans changed that day.

I bet if you are old enough you remember where you were the morning of September 11, 2001. I was a stay at home mom at that point with a one year old. My husband and I had an appointment that morning to meet with a lawyer to talk about a will. It was bizarre watching the TV coverage of the planes hitting the towers with a baby in my lap. It was surreal to then go to the lawyers office and talk about a will as the news played in the background. I remember thinking would we really need a will?

Our lives changed that day on September 11, 2001. There is no denying that. Many lives were lost that day. Many families were forever torn apart. The ripples from that day have affected many from people who lost their jobs, people who lost their homes. The first responders, heroes, have suffered many many health related issues.

I have taken many moments today to remember as best I can those who lost so much that day. It is a fitting thing to do.

And it is also a fitting thing to remember when New Yorkers came together to help each other, to remember Americans who came together to help each other. One of the things that makes this a grand country is our ability as a people to work together even in the midst of diversity and crisis.

For me September 11th taught me that violence is not the way. It only begets more violence. What is important for me to remember is that it is time to worker harder to find peaceful resolutions. Fourteen years later there is still way, way too much violence in this world. For my part I recommit myself to work toward peace.

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

Related

About jennifersponderings

I work as the pastor at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse. I am also the mother to five and wife of one. My husband directs a local theater. I have a creative, active, wonderfully blessed life.